1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for removing pollutants from a gas, and more particularly to a system and method for removing or reducing pollutants and volatile organic compounds (VOC's) in exhaust gas emissions through dynamic mixing, oxygenation, biodegradation, and converting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as nitrous gases and sulfurous gases to oxygen, biomass and harmless products.
2. Background Art
A large percentage of the electricity generated in the United States comes from the burning of coal and oil, and a smaller percentage is produced from burning natural gas. The industrial coal burning and electric arc furnaces used to produce heat and electrical power for manufacturing processes emit flue gases, primarily nitrous gases (nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide), sulfurous gases (sulfur dioxide), carbon dioxide, ash and other suspended particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere, such as propylene, ethylene, and butadiene, thereby contributing to air pollution and urban smog.
Teller, U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,553 discloses a process for removing pollutants which is enhanced by using a slurry containing a particulate adsorbent carrying a biologically active material. The pollutant is contacted with the slurry and is adsorbed and biodegraded therein. The slurry is useful in a bioscrubber and provides economical high flow rate treatment of gases.
Zauderer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,510 discloses a method for reducing nitrogen oxides in the gas stream from the combustion of fossil fuels. In a narrow gas temperature zone, nitrogen oxide is converted to nitrogen by reaction with urea or ammonia with negligible remaining ammonia and other reaction pollutants. Specially designed injectors are used to introduce air atomized water droplets containing dissolved urea or ammonia into the gaseous combustion products in a manner that widely disperses the droplets exclusively in the optimum reaction temperature zone.
Collins et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,733 discloses a method of removing hazardous sulfur compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans and sulfur oxides, from a fluid stream comprising contacting the fluid stream with an aqueous composition comprised of a tertiary amine oxide. The amine oxide reacts with the hazardous sulfur compounds to eliminate the compounds from the fluid stream.
Hollett, Jr., et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,750 discloses a method of desulfurizing boiler flue gas by intimate contact thereof with dry particles of a reactant or absorbent, such as hydrated lime, preferably with recirculation of the flue gas and entrained reactant or absorbent particles.
Lott, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,796,704, 6,024,874, and 5,322,222, which are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if fully set forth herein, disclose radial vortex premixers and radial eductors, but do not disclose the system and method for reducing pollutants in exhaust gases in accordance with the present invention.